Pedroia, Red Sox push Yankees further away from postseason

BRONX, New York (Ticker) -- The Boston Red Sox have spent
virtually the entire season ahead of the New York Yankees. Two
of their newest acquisitions played a role in widening that
distance on Wednesday.

Jason Bay drove in four runs and Paul Byrd pitched six effective
innings to lead the Red Sox to an 11-3 rout of the Yankees.

Dustin Pedroia highlighted a seven-run eighth inning off the
Yankees' bullpen with his first career grand slam - a shot that
sent many at Yankee Stadium to the exits.

If what they did in the first seven innings did not ensure it,
the blast by Pedroia made certain that the Red Sox (77-55) moved
seven games ahead of the Yankees (70-62) in the wild card race.

Before Pedroia's blast, Bay drove in four of Boston's first
seven runs, equaling his biggest run-producing night for his new
team. He had a two-run double in the first, a sacrifice fly in
the fifth and started the seven-run outburst with an RBI triple.

"He's awesome," Pedroia said of Bay. "He plays the game hard,
plays good defense. He's always in the right spot for us. He's
been huge for us."

Boston improved to 6-2 on its nine-game road trip and continued
its hold on the top spot in the American League wild card race.
The Red Sox also remained 3 1/2 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays
for first place in the AL East Division.

But the more damaging blow was to the Yankees, who have 30 games
remaining to avoid missing the postseason for the first time
since 1993, when they finished seven games behind the Toronto
Blue Jays in the AL East. They have dropped 12 of their last 21
games.

Despite what looks like a dire situation in the standings for
New York, manager Joe Girardi continued to express optimism.

"I've said all along that I believe in this team," Girardi said.
"I believe in the guys on the field and I believe that they can
get it done. I believe as a team we can get this done."

Boston spent most of this season without Bay and Byrd, who were
on non-contenders Pittsburgh and Cleveland, respectively, prior

to their arrival in Beantown. Those acquisitions have allowed
two more experienced players to blend into the clubhouse mix for
the defending World Series champions.

"He's been tremendous," Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek said. "He
plays really good defense. He's a good baserunner, and it's
allowed him to come into his own and he's swung the bat
extremely well for us since he's got here."

Bay was days away from being part of the three-team trade that
sent Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers when the Red Sox
lost two of three to the Yankees at Fenway Park. Boston won big
in the series finale, roughing up Sidney Ponson for seven runs
and 10 hits in four innings.

They did not quite batter Ponson around this time but did enough
to chase him after 4 2/3 innings. The righthander allowed four
runs and seven hits while walking four and striking out three.

Bay played a part in that with a two-out, two-run double that
scored Pedroia and David Ortiz just five batters into the
contest. He also added a sacrifice fly and an RBI triple before
the game became one-sided.

Bay's second game in the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry was his 10th
multi-hit game with his new team, and it also raised his batting
average to .347 and gave him 24 RBI, which has been aided by his
teammates' ability to frequently get on base.

"They've been so good," Bay said. "That's a credit to your
teammates. I've got guys on all the time."

Byrd is no stranger to closing out the Yankees. He started for
the Indians here in Game Four of last season's AL Division
Series, which marked the last game for New York under manager
Joe Torre.

The Yankees struggled offensively in that series and have done
so for most of the year under Girardi. They managed just RBI
double by Alex Rodriguez in the first and a run-scoring hit from
Robinson Cano in the fourth among five hits off Byrd, who threw
106 pitches, mixed in roughly 15-20 curveballs and improved to
6-1 in his last seven starts.

"In the last month, I think I've had a better curveball, so it
helps me out with lefthanders," Byrd said.

Six days after allowing seven runs and eight hits in two innings
at Toronto, Ponson never had a lead and quickly fell behind. He
gave up a one-out single to Pedroia and a double to Ortiz.
Boston scored when Bay's double deflected of Xavier Nady's glove
after the left fielder attempted to make a diving catch.

Rodriguez, who was 0-for-5 in the series opener, got the Yankees
on the board with a line-drive double to left. He was stranded
when Byrd struck out Jason Giambi. New York tied it in the
fourth when Rodriguez led off with a double and scored on Cano's
single that deflected off Pedroia's glove and into right field.

That was the closest the Yankees got to the lead as they
stranded runners at first and second, falling behind for good in
the fifth when Ponson lost command of the strike zone. He threw
seven consecutive balls against the Red Sox, who went ahead when
Kevin Youkilis worked a bases-loaded walk and added another run
when Bay drove in Pedroia.

New York did not score again until Giambi led off the ninth with
a solo home run and that came after relievers Jose Veras and
David Robertson were roughed up.